The Wendy L. Novak Center will provide state-of-the-art treatment for diabetes, as well as education, and for families it can't come soon enough.

"We prick her fingers at least eight to 10 times a day to get her blood sugar," said Wendy Moody about the maintenance of her 8-year-old daughter, Rebecca's, Type 1 diabetes.

At the age of 2, Rebecca's body stopped making insulin and she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

According to the latest available statistics from 2011, diabetes affects 25.8 million Americans with an estimated cost to the health care system at $245 billion annually.

"There isn't a single entity that costs as much. Think about heart disease, everybody is worried about heart disease. Much of those with heart disease are those with diabetes. So it accelerates your risk for cancer, everything gets worse if you have diabetes," said Dr. Kupper Wintergerst.

Wintergerst heads the diabetes center at Kosair Children's Hospital named for Wendy Novak, the wife of Yum! CEO David Novak. She's had diabetes since the age of 7.

The center has a doctor available 24 hours a day.

"What we want to do is help other families deal with the disease and handle it successfully," David Novak said.

Important diabetes research is underway right at the University of Louisville. Wintergerst said, imagine having to know your blood sugar every hour of your life.

"Low blood sugar can make you very ill very quickly. Chronically high blood sugar increases your chances of dehydration. It alters your ability to think properly," Wintergerst said.

It's estimated 15,000 more children will be diagnosed with diabetes this year, which is a drain on families both financially and mentally.

"The reality is it's not just a physical disease, so a psychological and emotional disease that is absolutely devastating to families," Wintergerst said.

Wintergerst said he believes a cure will come, but in the meantime, he said drugs already available to adults need to be approved for children.

"Improved care, prevention and ultimately the cure, that's what I see in our future. I expect it will be when I am still here at the university," Wintergerst said.

Rebecca's story

"She was 2. What I really noticed with her, a lethargic. She was drinking a lot, which is one of the telltale signs of diabetes," Wendy Moody said.

Today, Rebecca is an energetic and otherwise healthy 8-year-old. It's because her family stays vigilante. Her blood sugar level must be checked eight to 10 times a day.

When Rebecca is at school, she must do the testing.

"At least 10 kids ask me, 'Can I see you check?' 'You going to check now?' Because they always want to watch me. Because they want to know what I'm doing," Rebecca said.

"A normal range for you or I is 100," Wendy Moody said.

Rebecca has had an all-time low of 27 and it has been as high as 500.

The Moodys are active in getting the word out about Type 1 diabetes.

Rebecca was one of three children from Indiana who traveled to Washington, D.C., earlier this month to lobby their lawmakers for $150 million to help find a cure.

Nailing down a cause is key, though risk factors may be autoimmune, genetic, or environmental.

It's not known why Rebecca has Type 1 diabetes

Her two siblings don't have it.

"She wears an insulin pump 24 hours a day, seven days a week because that is basically her lifeline," Wendy Moody said.

Before Rebecca eats a meal or a snack, she's tested.

Then the carbohydrates in the snack are calculated and the computerized pump does the rest. Fortunately for the Moodys, they have good insurance because a three-month supply of test strips alone cost $1,000.

"I look forward to the day when she will say, 'Yes, I used to have to prick my finger eight times a day and I don't do that anymore.' Where it's just a memory for her and not a part of everyday life," Wendy Moody said.

BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION. DIABETES CAN BE DEVASTATING TO FAMILIES. THERE'S THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL ASPECTS... ALONG WITH THE FINANCIAL IMPACT. W-L-K-Y'S STEVE BURGIN JOINS US WITH ONE FAMILY'S STORY... STEVE? DIABETES IS AN EVERYDAY CHALLENGE FOR ITS VICTIMS... THE DISEASE CAN LEAD TO OTHER HEALTH COMPLICATIONS. AND FAMILIES HAVE TO BE ON THEIR TOES TO KEEP IT IN CHECK. 22:38:18 Voice of Wendy Moody/Mother says, She was two. What I really noticed with her, a lethargic. She was drinking a lot which is one of the tell tale signs of diabetes. TODAY, REBECCA IS AN ENERGETIC AND OTHERWISE HEALTHY EIGHT YEAR OLD. IT'S BECAUSE HER FAMILY STAYS VIGILANTE. HER BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL MUST BE CHECKED 8 TO TEN TIMES A DAY. 22:36:32 Wendy Moody/Mother says, Body doesn't make insulin. Pancreas has basically stopped working. AND WHEN REBECCA IS AT SCHOOL, SHE MUST DO THE TESTING. 22:45:11 Rebecca Moody/Diabetes Victim says, At least have ten kids ask me, can I see you check? You going to check now? Because they always want to watch me. Because they want to know what I'm doing. 22:37:44 Wendy Moody says, A normal range for you or I is 100. She's had an all time low of 28. Rebecca says, 27. Twenty seven and it has been as high as 5- hundred. THE MOODYS ARE ACTIVE IN GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUT TYPE ONE DIABETES. REBECCA WAS ONE OF THREE CHILDREN FROM INDIANA WHO TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON D.C. EARLIER THIS MONTH TO LOBBY THEIR LAWMAKERS FOR 150 MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP FIND A CURE. RESEARCH IS UNDERWAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY INCLUDING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE. NAILING DOWN A CAUSE IS KEY THOUGH RISK FACTORS MAY BE AUTOIMMUNE, GENETIC, OR ENVIRONMENTAL. IT'S NOT KNOWN WHY REBECCA HAS TYPE ONE DIABETES...HER TWO SIBLINGS DON'T HAVE IT. 22:36:17 Wendy Moody/Mother says, She wears an insulin pump 24 hours a day, seven days a week because that is basically her lifeline. AND EVERYTIME BEFORE REBECCA EATS A MEAL OR A SNACK, SHE'S TESTED. 22:51;25 Is it good? Is it high, low? So it's 123, 1-2-3. Can't beat that. THEN THE CARBOHYDRATES IN THE SNACK ARE CALCULATED AND THE COMPUTERIZED PUMP DOES THE REST. FORTUNATELY FOR THE MOODYS THEY HAVE GOOD INSURANCE BECAUSE A 3-MONTH SUPPLY OF TEST STRIPS ALONE COST A THOUSAND DOLLARS. 22:49:30 Wendy Moody/Mother says, I look forward to the day when she will say yes I used to have to prick my finger eight times a day and I don't do that anymore where it's just a memory for her and not a part of everyday life. AND RESEARCHERS ARE HOPEFUL THAT A CURE WILL BE FOUND IN REBECCA MOODY'S LIFETIME. STEVE BURGIN WLKY NEWS.

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